New Studio

Over the past month I have been spending time in New York. One of my objectives upon my arrival was to locate a proper painting studio, hopefully equivalent to the one I had back home.

Before my departure,  I mixed and tubed as much paint as possible. I wanted to have lots of paint at my disposal.

I brought along the majority of my studio supplies and equipment.  This picture was taken before I had put things together.  I built the box to support what I hoped to be future portrait subjects.

The studio includes rooftop access. During the summer months I usually make my own linseed oil from scratch. This requires ample sunlight, and the rooftop is perfect for this task.

My approach to my craft is very hands on, as this blog will attest. I had concerns going in that I would not be able to maintain these practices in a much smaller,  urban environment. So far the techniques have proven to be very adaptable.

A Small Tip

Cleaning brushes is probably my least favorite part of painting. I'd love to have the means to be able to pay someone to do the job for me. Until that day arrives, it will remain a necessary daily chore. Cleaning a whole set of brushes is easy to put off at the end of a long day. There are other times it is not practical, such as during travel.

This is a small tip for those kinds of situations. I heard about the idea from another artist,  who uses it all the time.

All you need is a small painting tray. I bought this one at a local hardware store. The tray was made for small detail paint rollers, and was inexpensive.


I filled the deep end of the tray with a moderate amount of linseed oil. Brushes are laid on their side so that the bristles rest submerged in the oil.


The oil retards the drying time of used brushes, so dirty brushes can be stored for relatively long periods. Later, if I need to use one of the brushes in the tray, I take it out, and wipe it clean on a towel or rag. The brush can be put to immediate use, or given a real cleaning.